Weekly Update
This week, we made significant progress with our app’s ideation and design, as well as advancing backend components. Here’s a summary of our latest updates:
Ideation and User Research
We've further refined our app concept, aiming to provide women with real-time safety information while navigating urban environments. The app will analyze local crime data, lighting conditions, and public transit availability to suggest the safest routes.
Our team also reviewed insights from our 25-question user survey, gathering valuable input from women aged 25-44 in Vancouver. The feedback emphasized the importance of features like live location sharing, real-time updates, and emergency alerts.
Persona Development: Elara
This week, we fleshed out the persona of Elara, a 21-year-old Métis architecture student from Vancouver. Elara's primary concerns are walking alone at night, finding safe shortcuts, and keeping her family updated. Her needs shape our design, particularly around live location sharing and providing safe route suggestions.
Key Safety Features
We’ve made significant progress on features such as:
- Live location sharing with emergency contacts
- Preset distress messages for emergency situations
- Recording surroundings for added security
These features are designed to minimize user interaction, allowing for seamless operation in high-stress scenarios.
Map and UI Research
The map that displays users' current location and suggests safe routes is coming together. We’re also refining the Safe Zone functionality, notifying users when they enter safer, more populated areas.
In terms of UI research, we continued exploring UI Kitten and React Native documentation to build a user-friendly interface. Our goal is to make the app intuitive and responsive while keeping privacy and safety at the forefront.
Next Sprint
- Design Team will finalize the Safe Zone map and continue working on the SOS frame.
- Backend Team will connect the app to the database to ensure functionality for live updates and location tracking.
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue working toward our app's launch!